Flower profile

Engelmann's pricklypear

Opuntia engelmannii

Engelmann's pricklypear (Opuntia engelmannii) is a shrub in the Cactaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Native to Arizona

Engelmann's pricklypear is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Arizona it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.

10states where USDA records it

3,735AZ sightings*

5,777U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Arizona

Quick look

Opuntia engelmannii is a prickly pear common across the south-central and Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It goes by a variety of common names, including desert prickly pear, discus prickly pear, Engelmann's prickly pear in the US, and nopal, abrojo, joconostle, and vela de coyote in Mexico.
From Wikipedia's article Opuntia engelmannii, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Cactaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 10 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Arizona. ^NatureServe
In Arizona, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 3,735 research-grade sightings of it in Arizona, ranking #25 among the 132 flowers on our Arizona list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Arizona, most flowering sightings come in April–May.

Flowering records by month in Arizona (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (58 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Arizona: Not listed Not on Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025). NatureServe: S3, vulnerable in Arizona. ^{AAC R3-3 App. A}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: NV (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S3 in Arizona. ^NatureServe

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNon-toxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Tree Cactus” (Opuntia species), which covers the whole genus, lists it as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating lots of any plant can still upset a pet's stomach. ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records engelmann's pricklypear in 10 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah.

Arizona counties with USDA records: Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yavapai.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 95 counties across 7 states; the most are in Texas (63), New Mexico (16), Arizona (10).

Other Opuntia on Bloomipedia (11): Beavertail pricklypear, Plains pricklypear, Brown-spined pricklypear, Low pricklypear, Prairie pricklypear, Brittle pricklypear, Pancake pricklypear, Florida pricklypear, Grassland pricklypear, Golden pricklypear.

More from the Cactaceae family (37 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Saguaro, California barrel cactus, Fishhook barrel cactus, Christmas cholla, Silver cholla, Tree cholla, Buckhorn cholla, Teddybear cholla.

More Arizona flowers

Saguaro

Carnegiea gigantea

★ AZ state flowerNative

🌼 Blooms in AZ: April–June

Fishhook barrel cactus

Ferocactus wislizeni

Native

🌼 Blooms in AZ: August–September

Chain-fruit cholla

Cylindropuntia fulgida

Native

🌼 Blooms in AZ: May–September

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile OPEN3.
iNaturalist, Opuntia engelmannii: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Opuntia engelmannii (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Arizona: Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025).
Arizona: Arizona prohibited noxious weeds (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-4-245).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Opuntia engelmannii (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
Photo: Joseph Rojas via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.